Reply #33: Uh, I teach this stuff for a living.... [View All]

[Aviation Pro]

...I think I know what I'm talking about. The area of high pressure you're refering to is an upper level high (also called an anti-cyclone) which allows outflow from the hurricane and causes subsidence (sinking) ahead of the cyclone creating a temporary high. Trust me on this, the storm is its own center of low pressure (except for the eye) which will continue to fall rapidly as convection increases from the warmer waters ahead.